Rotary engine.



O.P.OSTERGRE1N.

ROTARY BNGH IE. APPLICATION FILED 111111.29, 1910.

Patented Au 29, 1911.

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0. P; OSTERGREN. ROTARY ENGINE.

, APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1910. 1,001,676. Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

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INVENTOR WITNESSES:

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN C0" WASHINGTON. D. C,

OSCAR P. OSIERGREN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH T0 WILLIAM V. HIRSI-I, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ROTARY ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR P. OSTERGREN, a subject of the Crown of Sweden, and a resident of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to rotary engines, and particularly to a type of rotary engines in which two or more rotary co-acting elements are arranged side by side in par allel relation and are provided with co-engaging complementary abutments and re cesses.

My invention consists, first, in a novel form of engine in which a plurality of rotating elements each combine and co-act with a single central rotary element around which they are disposed; and second, to a novel form, construction, and arrangement of valve mechanism for admitting motive fluid to the rotating elements, including a novel form and construction of means for varying the point of cut-off of the motive fluid.

My invention also consists in many novel details of construction and combinations of parts, such as will be pointed out more fully hereinafter, and in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I will now proceed to describe an embodiment thereof, having reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the same, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in central transverse section of an engine con structed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in central vertical longitudinal section therethrough, the plane of section being indicated by the line 22 in Fig. 1. therethrough upon the plane of the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail central transverse sectional view of certain parts of the engine showing the parts as adjusted to different positions from those in which they appear in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view in part end elevation and part transverse section through the gear connections of the rotary impelling elements of the engine. Fig. 6 is a detail view in part side elevation and part longitudinal section of the main Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 29,1910.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section Patented A11 29, 1911.

Serial No. 579,478.

rotating element showing particularly the details of the valve means employed.

The engine, in general, comprises a main casing 10 having a central cylindrical bore 11 and a plurality of smaller bores 12 disposed around the same in parallel relation. therewith. The bores 12 overlap the central bore 11 whereby they communicate laterally with each other, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings. End heads 18 and 14 secured to the said casing and forming in fact a part thereof, serve to close in part the bore openings through the casing portion 10, individual supplemental end heads 15 being conveniently provided as removable portions of these end heads 13 and 14; at the ends of the small bores 12, whereby access may be readily had thereto without the necessity of removing the main end heads 13 or 14. The casing member contains in addition to the bores 11 and 12 a gear chamber 16 arranged to the rear thereof and d vided from the bores by means of a partition 17. Rotatively mounted in the bore 11 is a rotating element comprising a head 18; the said head is mounted upon the main drive shaft 19, one of the bearings therefor being disposed in the end head 14. This head 18 is generally of cylindrical form in outer contour and is disposed concentrically within the said bore 11, being, however, of smaller diameter than the bore whereby a substantially annular space 20 is formed between the outer periphery of the said head and the inner walls of the said bore. The said head is provided with a plurality of abutments 21,-four in the present instance,which extend across this annular space and engage the inner walls of the said bore.

Mounted in each of'the bores 12 is a head 22. The diameter of these heads is less than that of the diameter of the bores 12, but is such that the peripheries thereof are in rolling contact with the periphery of the head 18. ,The diameter, moreover, of these smaller heads 22 is just one-quarter of that of the main head 18 whereby, when a true rolling contact between the heads is maintained, the said smaller heads will rotate four times for each revolution of the main head. Each of these small heads 22 is provided with an abutment 23, corresponding the main head and smaller heads are each provided with complementary recesses 2 1 25, those of the main head being arranged to receive the abutments 23 of the small heads in their rotation, and those of the small heads being arranged to receive the abutments 21 of the main head.

The several heads are connected together so that they will rotate at the proper relative speeds, by means of suitable gearing comprising a spur gear 26 secured to the main head 18 and pinions 27 secured to the smaller heads 22 respectively. These gears are contained in the gear chamber 16 above referred to, the shafts of the several heads being arranged to extend through the said gear chamber for this purpose.

The head 18, the outer portion of which is of ring-like form, is provided through this ring-like portion with a plurality of motive fluid admission channels 28 whereby motive fluid admitted to the interior of the head will pass through these passages into the annular motive fluid chamber 20 just to the rear of each of the abutments 21. Mounted within the ring-like portion of the head 18 is a valve means by which these passages 28 may be closed after they have been opened for a certain time, whereby the motive fluid may thereafter be employed expansively; and I also preferably provide means, as will presently be explained, for varying the point at which the motive fluid may be thus cut ofi. The valve means comprises a stationary portion which includes a plurality of segments 29 conveniently secured fast to, or formed as a part of, the end head 15, and a relatively adjustable part 30 carried by a shaft or spindle 31. The part 30 is mounted within a chamber 40 within the central per tion of the end head 13, the chamber being closed by an auxiliary cover plate 11; the auxiliary cover plate 41 contains a bearing for the spindle 31, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 3. This relatively movable part 30 includes abutments 32 which form substantially extensions of the segments 29, and flanges 33 to which the said abutments are connected upon their inner faces at the rear end of the said flanges, the inner faces of the segments 29 being in sliding engagement with the outer faces of the said flanges 33 throughout the remaining portion thereof.

Referring to Fig. 1 and noting that the head 18 rotates in the direction of the arrow therein, it will be seen that motive fluid will be admitted to the passages 28 as each of them passes the forward end of the segment 29 adjacent thereto, and it will also be seen that motive fluid will be continuously admitted through the said passages until the same pass the rear edges of the abutment-s 32. It will then follow that by adjusting the abutments 32 rearwardly with respect to the segments 29, the flanges 33 preventing metive fluid from passing between the rear faces of the segments and the forward faces of the abutments, the extent of angular movement of the head through which motive fluid will be admitted, will be reduced. To this extent the se ments 29 act as a main steam valve and the adjustable abutments 32- as a rider cut-01f valve, as these terms are commonly used in engine practice.

For the purpose of automatically varying the position of the adjustable portion 3233 of the valve means, I have provided a centrifugal governor 3i driven by a belt con nection 35-from the main shaft 19, and I have provided connections 36 from the said governor to the spindle or shaft 31 as will be readily understood by reference to the drawings. Thus, as the speed of the engine increases beyond a certain point the valve means may be adjusted so as to reduce the period of motive fluid admission whereby a predetermined rate of speed may be maintained as is usual and desirable in engines employing gases under pressure, such as steam, compressed air, and the like, as mo tive fluid.

I have provided for carrying away the exhaust motive fluid from the arious subdivisions of the annular chamber 20, the same comprising ports and passages 37 which conveniently connect with the several small bores 12 in proximity to the point at which the bores 12 meet the bore 11 at their rear ends, 2'. 6., the ends first met by the abutments 21 in the direction in which the heads 18 are arranged to rotate as described above. By this arrangement the portions of the annular chamber 20 in advance of each of the abutments 21 is constantly open to exhaust, while the portions to the rear of the said abutments constitute receiving and expansion chambers for the live motive fluid.

If desired the exhaust motive fluid may go to one or more re-heaters 38, this being especially beneficial where the motive fluid is employed in a second stage as is common in compound engines. Motive fluid is ad mitted to the interior of the engine through an inlet passage 39 (see particularly Fig. 2).

From the foregoing the operation of the engine will be readily understood. In general motive fluid admitted through the passage 39, passes to the center of the casing and thence up through the valve means within the main head 18 against the inner wall of the ring-like portion of the head 18. As the motive fluid openings 28 in the head pass the forward edges of the segments 29, the motive fluid passes through these passages 28 into those portions of the annular chamber 20 which are located between the rear faces of the" abutments 21 and the peripheral surfaces of the heads 22. The peripheral surfaces of the heads 22 act as stationary abutments or walls for the motive fluid, the forward movable walls being the rear faces of the abutments 21, whereby the energy of the motive fluid is partially expended in forcing the head 18 around in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. In addition to the foregoing each of the small heads 22 act themselves as impelling members, those portions of the annular spaces between the periphery of the said heads and the inner walls of the bores 12 and to the rear of the abutments 23 carried by the said heads acting as motive fluid spaces, the periphery of the main head 18 in this connection acting as the stationary abutment or wall for the motive fluid while the abutments 23 act as the movable walls. After the main head has moved through nearly one-quarter of a revolution and each of the auxiliary heads 22 have moved through nearly an entire revolution, the abutments 23 of the auxiliary heads 22 will have passed the exhaust ports 37 while the abutments 21 of the main head will also have passed the point at which the main and auxiliary bores join each other, whereby the spent motive fluid from both the main head and the auxiliary heads will be discharged through the said exhaust passages.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the motive fluid acts not only upon the main head but also upon the auxiliary heads and that in a single revolution of the engine as a whole, there are no less than eight points at which the motive fluid is directly acting and imparting its energy for propulsive purposes. It will also be seen that so far as the central wheel is concerned the same is absolutely balanced, for the various pressures are applied uniformly at a plurality of points around the periphery thereof. The auxiliary heads 22 are not, however, completely balanced and as it is necessary to the eflicient operation of an engine of this description that they be balanced as far as possible I refer to an application filed by me upon the 13th day of February, 1911, and serially numbered 608,212 which is co pending herewith, as showing a means by which they may be so balanced.

hat I claim is:

1. The combination with a casing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plurality of supplemental cylindrical bores surrounding the central bore and in overlapping parallel relation therewith, of main and supplemental cylindrical rotating elements mounted concentrically in the said bores, and whose diameters are less than the bores containing them, the peripheries of the said main and supplemental rotating elements being in rolling contact with each other, the said main and supplemental rotating elements being provided with complementary abutments and recesses for coengagcment with each other, the sum of the diameters of all the supplemental rotating elements being equal to the diameter of the main rotating element, and gearing for connecting the said main and supplemental rotating elements together. i

2. The combination with a casing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plurality of supplemental cylindrical bores surrounding the central bore and in overlapping parallel relation therewith, of main and supplemental cylindrical rotating ele- 'ments mounted concentrically in the said bores, and whose diameters are less than the borescontaining them, the peripheries of the said main and supplemental rotating elements being in rolling contact with each other, the said main and supplemental rotating elements being provided with complementary abutments and recesses for coengagement with each other, the said main rotating element being hollow and arranged to receive motive fluid therein, the peripheral wall thereof having a plurality of mo tive fluid passages therethrough one to the rear of each of the abutments therein, and gearing for connecting the said main and supplemental rotatingelements together.

3. The combination with a casing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plurality of supplemental cylindrical bores surrounding the central bore and in overlapping parallel relation therewith, of main and supplemental cylindrical rotating ele ments mounted concentrically in the said bores, and whose diameters are less than the bores containing them, the peripheries of the said main and supplemental rotating elements being in rolling contact with each other, the said main and supplemental ro tating elements being provided with complementary abutments and recesses for coengagement with each other, the sum of the diameters of all the supplemental rotating elements being equal to the diameter of the main rotating element, the said main rotating element being hollow and arranged to receive motive fluid therein, the peripheral wall thereof having a plurality of motive fluid passages therethreugh one to the rear of each of the abutments therein, and gearing for connecting the said main and sup plemental rotating elements together.

1. The combination with a casing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plurality of supplemental cylindrical bores surrounding the central bore and in overlapping parallel relation therewith, of main and supplemental cylindrical rotating elements mounted concentrically in the said bores, and whose diameters are less than the bores containing them, the peripheries of the said main and supplemental rotating elements being in rolling contact with each other, the said main and supplemental rotating elements being provided with complementary abutments and recesses for co-en gagement with each other, the said main rotating element being hollow and arranged to receive motive fluid therein, the peripheral wall thereof having a plurality of motive fluid passages therethrough one to the rear of each of the abutments therein, valve means located within the said hollow main rotating element for co-action with the said passages, and gearing for connecting the said main and supplemental rotating elements together.

5. The combination with a casing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plurality of supplemental cylindrical bores surrounding the central bore and in overlapping parallel relation therewith, of main and supplemental cylindrical rotating elements mounted concentrically in the said bores, and whose diameters are less than the bores containing them, the peripheries of the said main and supplemental rotating elements being in rolling contact with each other, the said main and supplemental rotating elements being provided with complementary abutments and recesses for coengagement with each other, the sum of the diameters of all the supplemental rotating elements being equal to the diameter of the main rotating element, the said main rotating element being hollow and arranged to receive motive fluid therein, the peripheral wall thereof having a plurality of motive fluid passages therethrough one to the rear of each of the abutments therein, valve means located within the said hollow main rotating element for co-action with the said passages, and gearing for connecting the said main and supplemental rotating elements together.

6. The combination with a casing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plurality of supplemental cylindrical bores surrounding the central bore and in overlapping parallel relation therewith, of main and supplemental cylindrical rotating elements mounted concentrically in the said bores, and whose diameters are less than the bores containing them, the peripheries of the said main and supplemental rotating elements being in rolling contact with each other, the said main and supplemental rotating elements being provided with complementary abutments and recesses for coengagement with each other, the said main rotating element being hollow and arranged to receive motive fluid therein, the peripheral wall thereof having a plurality of motive fluid passages therethrough one to the rear of each of the abutments therein, valve means located within the said hollow main rotating element for co-action with the said passages, means for adjusting the posit-ion of the said valve means with respect to the said passages, and gearing for connecting the said main and supplemental rotating elements together.

7. The combination with acasing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plurality of supplemental cylindrical bores surrounding the central bore and in overlapping parallel relation therewith, of main and supplemental cylindrical rotating elements mounted concentrically in the said bores, and whose diameters are less than the bores containing them, the peripheries of the said main and supplemental rotating elements being in rolling contact with each other, the said main and supplemental rotating elements being provided with complementary abutments and recesses for co-engagement with each other, the sum of the diameters of all the supplemental rotating elements being equal to the diameter of the main rotating element, the said main rotating element being hollow and arranged to receive motive fluid therein, the peripheral wall thereof having a plurality of motive fluid passages therethrough one to the rear of each of the abutments therein, valve means located within the said hollow main rotating element for co-action with the said passages, means for adjusting the position of the said valve means with respect to the said passages, and gearing for connecting the said main and supplement-a1 rotating elements together.

8. The combination with a casing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plurality of supplemental cylindrical bores sur rounding the central bore and in overlapping parallel relation therewith, of main and supplemental cylindrical rotating elements mounted concentrically in the said bores, and whose diameters are less than the bores containing them, the peripheries of the said main and supplemental rotating elements being in rolling contact with each other, the said main and supplemental rotating elements being provided with complementary abutments and recesses for c0-engagement with each other, the said main rotating element being hollow and arranged to receive motive fluid therein, the peripheral wall thereof having a plurality of motive fluid passages therethrough one to the rear of each of the abutments therein, valve means located within the said hollow main rotating element for co-action with the said passages, means for adjusting the position of the said valve means with respect to the said passages, the said valve means comprising a stationary portion and a portion angularly adjustable with respect thereto, and gearing for connecting the said main and supplemental rotating elements together.

9. The combination with a casing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plurality of supplemental cylindrical bores surrounding the central bore and in overlapping parallel relation therewith, of main and supplemental cylindrical rotating elements mounted concentrically in the said bores, and whose diameters are less than the bores containing them, the peripheries of the said main and supplemental rotating elements being in rolling contact with each other, the said main and supplemental rotating elements being provided with complementary abutments and recesses for co-engagement with each other, the sum of the diameters of all the supplemental rotating elements being equal to the diameter of the main rotating element, the said main rotating element being hollow and arranged to receive motive fluid therein, the peripheral wall thereof having a plurality of motive fluid passages therethrough one to the rear of each of the abutments therein, valve means located within the said hollow main rotating ele ment for co-action with the said passages, means for adjusting the position of the said valve means with respect to the said passages, the said valve means comprising a stationaryportion and a portion angularly adjustable with respect thereto, and gearing for connecting the said main and supplemental rotating elements together.

lO. The combination with a casing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plurality of supplemental cylindrical bores surrounding the central bore and in overlapping parallel relation therewith, of main and supplemental cylindrical rotating elements mounted concentrically in the said bores, and whose diameters are less than the bores containing them, the peripheries of the said main and supplemental rotating elements being in rolling contact with each other, the said main and supplemental rotating elements being provided with complementary abutments and recesses for (to-engagement with each other, the said. main rotating element being hollow and arranged to receive motive fluid therein,

' the peripheral wall thereof having a plurality of motive fluid passages therethrough one to the rear of each of the abutments therein, valve means located'within the said hollow main rotating element for co-action with the said passages, means for adjust ing the position of the said valve means with respect to the said passages, the said valve means comprising a stationary portion and a portion angularly adjustable with respect thereto, an automatic governing means connected with the said angularly movable portion, and gearing for connecting the said main and supplemental rotating elements together.

11. The combination with a casing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plu 'aiity of supplemental cylindrical bores surrounding the central bore and in overlapping parallel relation therewith, of main and supplemental cylindrical rotating elements mounted concentrically in the said bores, and whose diameters are less than the bores containing them, the peripheries of the said main and supplemental rotating elements being in rolling contact with each other, the said main and supplemental rotating elements being provided with com plen'ientary abutments and recesses for coengagement with each other, the sum of the diameters of all the supplemental rotating elements being equal to the diameter of the main rotating element, the said main rotating element being hollow and arranged to receive motive fluid therein, the peripheral wall thereof having a plurality of motive fluid passages therethrough one to the rear of each of the abutments therein, valve means located within the said hollow main rotating element for coaction with the said passages, means for adjusting the position of the said valve means with respect to the said passages, the said valve means comprising a stationary portion and a portion angularly adjustable with respect thereto, an automatic governing means connected with the said angularly movable portion, and gearing for connecting the said main and supplemental rotating elements together.

12. The combination with a casing having a main cylindrical bore therein and a plurality of supplemental cylindrical bores disposed around the same in parallel relation therewith, the said supplemental bores overlapping the said central bore whereby they are in lateral communication therewith, of a main cylindrical rotating element mounted concentrically in the said central bore, supplemental cylindrical elements mounted concentrically one in each of the said supplemental bores, the diameters of the said rotating elements being less than the bores in which they are contained and of such a size that the peripheries of the said supplemental rotating elements are in rolling contact with the periphery of the said central rotating element, the said central rotating element being provided with a plurality of abutments which extend laterally from the periphery thereof into engagement with the walls of the central bore, one for each of the said supplemental rotating elements, and with recesses for receiving the similar abutments carried by the said supplemental rotating elements, each of the said supplemental rotating elements being provided With an abutment which extends laterally from the periphery thereof into engagement With the Walls of the bore in which the said supplemental rotating element is mounted, the said abutments being adapted to be received within the recesses of the said Copies of this patent may be obtained for OSCAR- P. OSTERGREN.

Witnesses f D. HOWARD HAYWOOD, LYMAN S. ANDREWS, Jr.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

